11-year-old girl marks her 100th blood transfusion milestone at St. Luke’s Hospital

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — An 11-year-old patient celebrates her 100th blood transfusion at St. Luke’s Hospital.

Hannah has beta thalassemia, a blood disorder caused when the body doesn’t make enough of a protein called hemoglobin. When there isn’t enough hemoglobin, the body’s red blood cells don’t function properly and there are fewer healthy red blood cells in the bloodstream. As a result, Hannah needs blood transfusions about every three weeks and receives them at St. Luke’s.

Hannah brought gifts for the pediatric unit and the St. Luke’s team decorated her room to celebrate.